Woodworm - Advice?

[mrbmcg]

Hi Guys

During the process of upgrading the old garage I got with my new house today I found evidence of extensive woodworm damage with a load of exit holes around 2mm in size.

I started investigating some of the worst bits and found plenty of fras when breaking the wood apart, but no larvae in any of the wood. Zero, zip, none.

What should I take from this? It's been pretty cold up here up until today in fact and I doubt that the worm realised that today was spring and just upped and left (Spring is usually when they take flight right?). It looks to me like they left some time ago. The wood had originally been treated with creosote and the areas which had a thicker application seem to be free of wormholes.

I've read a lot of the threads on worm and a few websites. What do you think my action should be? I have started to treat it with cuprinol but I'm wondering if I'm asking for trouble? I plan to re-roof and have already replaced the front doors which run the entire length of the fron wall. I was planning to keep the other three walls, insulate then plasterboard, probably heat it too.

Do you think I should take it down and burn it or take a chance? Opinions anyone?

PS Is treated timber resistant to worm as well as rot? I assume it is as its impregnated with poison, but can anybody confirm?

 

[Colin C]

With worm it depends on how bad it is so without a pic its a little hard to tell for sure but I will try my best.
First is the wood still strong?
Make sure you get the cuprinol in as deep as you can in to the wood ( a syringe will do, or cuprinol do a bottle for this and do it twice.
The worm come out twice a year (April and September I think )
As for you last question you can get some that will do both in think ( I am used to doing Antique furniture )
I hope this helps

 

[Alf]

a load of exit holes

Judging by what I read when I looked into this, there's your answer. They've gone. As I understand it, as long as your wood is kept above a certain moisture content, the woodworm will find somewhere tastier as day care for their little darlings and you won't have any more trouble. If you do, it'll only be the exiting of woodworm that's already there anyway. If the wood's damp, well that seems to be another story and you're probably looking at giving the place "the works" at the very least. Knocking it down or not probably depends on just how much the worm has eaten... :shock:

Cheers, Alf

 

[devonwoody]

I have seen the holes, but have never seen a picture of a worm or whatever it is that then takes flight from the hole.

Anyone got any photographs?

 

[Scrit]

I have seen the holes, but have never seen a picture of a worm or whatever it is that then takes flight from the hole.

Anyone got any photographs?

Try here. Shows furniture, longhorn and death watch b eetle, although not the fourth culprit, the ambrosia beetle, which lives in barked timbers

Scrit

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Scrit.

I squashed something with my thumb yesterday but I don't think it was one of them.

Pity we can't give the little bugs bird flu or something.

 

[judder]

A few years ago I put a new roof on a building using new 4x2" Pine. Not unusual the timber was soaking wet. But it was a sunny day and to my surprise as the sun hit the timber directly the worms started eating their way out - totally gross. They were big pippers leaving a 4mm hole, about an inch long(metric+imperial :roll and had wings. Have never again seen this and feel quite priveliged .

 

[Colin C]

You might be able to send you beetles in to you local council for testing to see if it is a furniture beetle or not

 

[mrbmcg]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Alf, it does look like they are gone, but the roof has leaked in several places so there are some damp parts and some rotten wood. This is mainly in the roof which is being torn down and replaced anyway.

I think I am going to chance it by absolutely soaking it in the woodworm killer and heating it big time for several months to really dry it out. The alternative invloves about £1000 of timer and sheathing as well as treating and repainting. I just can't afford it at this moment in time (although it might come back and bite me later).